Daily Clips – 6/22/11
Penguins, Jagr talk, but no deadline yet
Bylsma sounds receptive to adding big-time scorer
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Petr Svoboda, the former NHL defenseman who represents Jaromir Jagr, has not announced a
deadline for getting his client a contract.
Good thing, too, because there seems to be a certain urgency missing from the discussions
designed to get Jagr back in the NHL after spending three winters in Russia's Kontinental
Hockey League.
Tuesday, some of the discussions themselves were AWOL.
Svoboda had been scheduled to hold a phone conversation with Penguins general manager Ray
Shero to talk about whatever interest Shero has in adding Jagr to his depth chart, but, as of late
evening in Prague, where Svoboda is based, the two still had not gotten together.
Svoboda, though, said he had talked to Shero Monday and that someone from the Penguins
had "communicated with [Jagr]" Tuesday.
Shero, through the team's media-relations department, declined interview requests for the
second consecutive day.
Coach Dan Bylsma, speaking at a media-availability session Tuesday evening in Las Vegas,
where the NHL awards ceremony will be held tonight, said that neither he nor anyone else from
the team has spoken with Jagr, although that likely could have been done without his
knowledge.
Regardless, Bylsma seems receptive to having Jagr on his roster.
"Hypothetically, you're talking about a guy who, in his last year in the National Hockey League,
had 75 points," he said. "That's leading our team last year. That's an intriguing thing to think
about -- a power-play guy.
"What you saw him do in the world championships against NHL-caliber players was nothing
short of outstanding, on a bigger ice surface. So those are intriguing things to think about
hypothetically, and it's tough not to think about adding 75 points to your roster if that's
something you're capable of doing."
The only team to acknowledge interest in Jagr publicly is Detroit, although Svoboda said "there
are a few more than three" that have inquired about him.
The Penguins, who were approached by Svoboda a few days ago, appear to be one of them.
The fact that team officials apparently have had multiple conversations with Svoboda and/or
Jagr suggested they have at least a mild interest in trying to add him to their roster.
How much they would be willing to spend to do so remains to be seen. Most indications are
that, if Jagr is to return to the franchise with which he entered the NHL in 1990, he will do it for
less money than elsewhere.
Jagr, 39, also has the option of returning to the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia, where he
spent the past three seasons.
NHL Draft: Whitehall native Gibson could be first-rounder
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
John Gibson is 6 feet 3, 205 pounds.
And not just big, but fairly athletic. With a burgeoning reputation for playing his best in highstakes games.
It is easy to understand why he is the top-rated North American goaltender -- and a good bet to
be a first-round draft choice -- in the 2011 NHL entry draft this weekend in St. Paul, Minn.
A lot easier, certainly, than it is to understand why he wasn't able to earn a spot on the Baldwin
High School team when he was a freshman there.
If Gibson, who grew up in Whitehall, has a good explanation for why he was cut, he doesn't
seem inclined to share it. Then again, that long-ago episode isn't something on which he dwells.
Or, from the sound of it, ever did.
"When I got cut from that team, I kind of just laughed," Gibson said. "I didn't really even know
what to say. It was probably the biggest joke I've ever had. I've been cut off AAA teams, and
that's fine. The competition's better. But high school hockey in Pittsburgh, I mean, it's nothing
[special]."
The quality of high school hockey in this region has risen dramatically over the past few
decades, but most of the elite talent from Western Pennsylvania goes elsewhere to develop
their games.
Some end up in major-junior hockey. Others join the United States Hockey League or, in
Gibson's case, the U.S. National Development program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gibson is something of a late bloomer, at least in the eyes of some scouts. Nonetheless, the
advances in his game the past few seasons can't be ignored, and there is ample reason to
believe he will make many more.
"He's heading in the right direction," said Jay Heinbuck, the Penguins director of amateur
scouting. "He's a boy who didn't make all his AAA teams growing up in Pittsburgh until maybe
his last year before going to the National Development program.
"He's kind of on the right curve, and he's a big, athletic kid who seems driven. I don't think his
technique is refined or anywhere close to it. He's kind of a raw goalie. Having said that, he's
already proven he can win. He's won at the top level."
That includes a strong showing at the world under-18 championships in Germany in April.
Gibson was honored as the top goaltender in the tournament after compiling a 6-0 record, 2.34
goals-against average and .926 save percentage while helping the U.S. earn its third consecutive
goal medal in that competition.
Gibson said he interviewed with "about 22" teams at the NHL scouting combine in Toronto a
few weeks ago, the Penguins being one of them. None, he said, divulged whether they intend
to select him -- that is the norm in those interviews -- but, if Gibson is fretting about who will
end up with his rights, it doesn't show.
"It comes down to draft day and whoever needs a goalie and wants to use the pick on me," he
said.
Gibson said Montreal goalie Carey Price has provided a template of sorts for him in his time
with the national program.
"I've watched a lot of video of him over the past two years and tried to learn what he does,"
Gibson said. "I think we have similar styles, [being] big and athletic. I try to see what he does
and learn from him and try to incorporate [things] into my game."
Price seems to be pretty easy-going, and Gibson said that's another trait they share. He is not,
for example, one of those stereotypical goalies who is so high-strung that teammates dare not
approach him as game time closes in.
"I'm not your normal goalie, being nuts, or anything like that, before a game," Gibson said. "I'm
kind of laid-back, like to have fun with the guys. I'm not like most goalies, where you can't talk
to me or touch me."
Whether his name is called out in the first round Friday at the Xcel Energy Center or one of the
subsequent rounds the next day, it seems unlikely that Gibson will flash back to a few years
ago, when he was informed that there wasn't a place for him on Baldwin's roster.
That seems, at most, a remote memory now, although Gibson still manages to put a positive
spin on what could have been an ego-crushing setback.
"It motivated me more and made me want to succeed even more," he said. "Whatever
happened, happened. It worked out for the best, so I'm thankful for that."
Penguins Notebook: NHL adjusts head shot rule
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
LAS VEGAS -- If not for two hits to his head in early January, Penguins center Sidney Crosby in
all likelihood would be at the Palms Resort for the NHL awards gala tonight.
Crosby was having a sensational season, leading all scorers with 66 points in 41 games, before
he was diagnosed with a concussion that ended his season following hits by David Steckel, then
of Washington, and Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman.
While other stars from around the league gathered here Tuesday, the NHL Board of Governors
was voting to stiffen two rules that might help reduce head injuries.
Rule 48, enacted two years ago to outlaw certain hits to the head, no longer will be limited to
"blindside" and "lateral" hits, and Rule 41 now calls for a boarding penalty when a player is
pushed or deemed to be defenseless. Previously, the word "vulnerable" was used.
"I think it's good that they [tweak the rules], so that we can get the head shots out of the game,
and, if it happens, you have to pay for it," said Nicklas Lidstrom, 40, who just re-signed with
Detroit and is a finalist for the Norris (best defenseman) and Lady Byng (sportsmanship)
trophies.
Although Penguins winger Matt Cooke got what amounted to a 17-game suspension late in the
season for an elbow to the head of the New York Rangers' Ryan McDonagh, the Penguins have
lobbied to rid the NHL of all hits to the head -- regardless of intent or angle -- so coach Dan
Bylsma welcomed the new wording.
"I think clarification is an important part of that," said Bylsma, a finalist for the Jack Adams
Trophy (best coach). "I also think real, clear follow-through on that rule is important."
Tampa Bay veteran winger Marty St. Louis made a passionate argument.
"The players are getting faster, getting stronger. When a head gets in the way, we have to find a
way to let up," said St. Louis, a finalist for the Hart (MVP) and Lady Byng awards. "This is
somebody's livelihood. It's a dad. It's a husband. It's somebody's son. We've just got to be more
cautious and play with more respect, I feel."
A little planning, just in case
Bylsma has written books with his father aimed at hockey families, but writing an acceptance
speech in case he wins tonight is a challenge.
"It's tough to fit enough thank-yous in 45 seconds, so you'd better plan it out," he said.
Tougher than writing books?
"It is," he said. "And it's tough to shut me up, so 45 seconds is a short amount of time."
Bylsma's competition is Vancouver's Alain Vigneault and Nashville's Barry Trotz.
Injury updates
Bylsma said the word on Evgeni Malkin (knee surgery), who is home in Russia, is promising.
"He's not looked this good or worked this hard this early in the summer, I don't think, in his
career," the coach said. "Through another player, he said he'd never seen him look this good
and work this hard in the summer at all. So, he's doing very, very well. I expect him to be
motivated in the fall."
Crosby is home in Nova Scotia.
"Sidney [is] going through his regular summer routine, the one that he has been going through
the last few years with his trainer," Bylsma said. "I think four months is going to do him very
well."
Crosby jersey sales still tops
Despite his truncated season, Crosby led in NHL player jersey sales for the sixth season in a row,
according to Sports Business Daily.
Malkin was fifth, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury 10th and defenseman Kris Letang 17th, making
the Penguins the only team with three in the top 10 and four in the top 17.
Also in the top five were Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Chicago's Jonathan Toews and
Patrick Kane.
Agent: Jagr 'loves that team, city... Mario'
By Rob Rossi
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A longing to reconnect with the Penguins could be part of what brings back legendary forward
Jaromir Jagr.
"He loves that team, that city," agent Petr Svoboda said Tuesday from the Czech Republic. "And
he loves Mario (Lemieux), so that is all on his mind."
The opportunity to win the Stanley Cup — and return to the NHL after three years of playing
professionally in Russia — has positioned the perennial contender Penguins and Detroit Red
Wings as frontrunners to land Jagr, Svoboda said.
Svoboda said he was expecting a second conversation with Penguins general manager Ray
Shero regarding Jagr on Tuesday.
"My (first) talk with Ray was wonderful," Svoboda said. "Jaromir obviously is fond of Pittsburgh,
but he likes the current situation there, too."
Neither Jagr nor Shero could be reached for comment, but Jagr told ESPN.com:
"In Pittsburgh, I played there 10 years," he said. "I still have a house there. I was too lazy to sell
it.
"Obviously (Lemieux) is the owner. The team they got — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, plus
other great players — if I went there, it would be a lot easier.
"But on the other side, Detroit has great players and plays closer to my style, a Euro style.
That's a plus. And (Nicklas) Lidstrom is there, plus (Pavel) Datsyuk and (Henrik) Zetterberg great, great players."
Jagr owns a house in Upper St. Clair, where his five miniature Art Ross trophies for winning NHL
scoring titles are stored, according to former Penguin Petr Sykora.
The Penguins believe Jagr is asking for at least $2 million on a one-year deal. They are
committed to $55.5 million against the salary cap for 17 players on guaranteed NHL contracts.
The cap will be $64 million next season, according to Canada's TSN.
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, speaking hypothetically about Jagr at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas,
described him as "intriguing" and cited his 75 points with the Rangers in his last NHL season.
"That's leading our team last year," Bylsma said. "That's an intriguing thing to think about -- a
power-play guy; what you saw him do in the world championship against NHL-caliber players
was nothing short of outstanding.
"Those are intriguing things to think about hypothetically, and it's tough not to think about
adding 75 points to your roster if that's something you're capable of doing."
Svoboda did not identify a timetable for a deal with Jagr, who can sign with an NHL team at any
time because his last contract was with Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.
Svoboda said Jagr's former Penguins teammate Robert Lang was trying to establish
communication via phone between Jagr and Lemieux.
Jagr has often cited Lemieux as "the best player ever" and his "idol." They were teammates
from 1990-97 and in 2000-01.
"We talked a lot about that (Monday), just Jaromir and I speaking about his days with the
Penguins," Svoboda said. "Playing again in Pittsburgh is obviously something that's on Jaromir's
mind, but I wouldn't say it's the main factor. The main factor for him is having a chance to win
again."
Notes: Crosby and Malkin ranked first and fifth respectively in NHL jersey sales for last season,
according to Sports Business Daily. Marc-Andre Fleury (10th) and Kris Letang (17th) also rated
among the top 20. ... The Penguins are not close on a new deal with restricted free agent Tyler
Kennedy.
Kovacevic: Bring back Jaromir Jagr
By Dejan Kovacevic
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
If Jaromir Jagr gets his wish and returns to the Penguins, it could represent one of the more
remarkable comeback stories in Pittsburgh sports history: A first-ballot Hall of Famer gives the
NHL one last try with his original team, fits right in with a revitalized Sidney Crosby and Evgeni
Malkin, then raises the Stanley Cup just as he did here as a teenager.
Am I dreaming?
Well, yeah, of course.
For one, even though Jagr's agent, Petr Svoboda, has made known his client's approach to the
Penguins — as reported by the Tribune-Review's Rob Rossi for Tuesday's editions — the Detroit
Red Wings and a mystery team are in the mix, too.
For another, it takes two to strike a deal. Tuesday night in Las Vegas, Penguins coach Dan
Bylsma called Jagr's current level of play "outstanding" and described his possible addition as an
"intriguing thing." That sounds like thick interest. But until general manager Ray Shero puts
money behind that, it's hard to fully gauge how strongly they feel.
I know how I feel right now: Bring back 68.
And not for sentimentality. Not because it will rebuild bridges that never should have been
burned. Not because cheers would replace the irrational booing of the man whose amazing
1999 playoff performance essentially kept the bankrupt Penguins' business afloat. Not even
because it would bring similarly scintillating sequels for the franchise's two greatest players,
Mario Lemieux and Jagr. (Sorry, Sid. Not yet.)
No, I'd like to see Jagr back primarily for what he could do for the 2011-12 Penguins.
Sure, he'll turn 40 next February, and he is a far different player from that one-on-one demon
we recall as an MVP and five-time scoring champion. He adapted his style several years ago in
New York to that of a stationary gunner and power-play quarterback. But he adapted brilliantly:
In 2005-08 with the Rangers, his last three NHL seasons, he never missed a game and had 290
points, including 122 on the power play. In Russia's Kontinental Hockey League the past three
years, Jagr remained a point-a-game producer.
Remember power-play goals?
Jagr still can work the half-wall as well as anyone in hockey, both from a shooting and passing
standpoint. And if you don't think that's the Penguins' greatest need going into next season,
then we weren't watching the same team these past few months.
I understand skepticism. Fans were excited about Alexei Kovalev returning at age 38 in
February, only to see Zbynek Michalek outscore him and just about everyone outwork him. But
this is different.
I watched Jagr up close just last year at the Olympics in Vancouver, and he was nothing less
than the tournament's best forward in the early going. Still had those tree-trunk legs churning.
Still had the devastating finish. Still saw the whole ice. He faded some, then was crushed on an
open-ice check by Alex Ovechkin, punishment for skating through the middle with his head
down. Even so, on a Czech team loaded up front, the "old man," as Jagr jokingly called himself,
stood tallest.
At the World Championships in Slovakia last month, Jagr registered a hat trick against the
United States, including a breathtaking rink-length rush.
I asked Chris Johnston, the Canadian Press reporter on the scene in Bratislava, to share his view.
"He remains a strong man and, while far from speedy, still has a knack for being in the right
place on the ice," Johnston said. "I'm confident he'd still be of use on a NHL power play, at the
very least. And my impression after speaking with him there is that he's still very driven to play.
His off-ice work ethic borders on legendary."
No surprise, considering Jagr used to say here that he'd play until he was 50.
And that's the other difference: He has grown up. Gone is that mullet-haired teen who
collected speeding tickets, the 25-year-old with the giant gambling debt, and the man-child
who bought his ticket out of town by declaring he was "dying alive" during a scoring slump. In
recent years, he has shaken the hands of presidents, called news conferences in Prague to
announce political endorsements and served as the Czechs' flag-bearer at Vancouver's opening
ceremonies.
Does that sound like an immature brat?
Some might wonder if he could handle playing second or third fiddle in Pittsburgh. The way I
see it, if he finds extra motivation in wanting to perform in the Crosby/Malkin stratosphere,
hey, great. If he finds extra motivation in wanting to add to his legacy in Pittsburgh and in the
NHL, that's fine, too.
Few things in hockey history have been more entertaining than a motivated Jagr.
MORE JAGR – Mark Madden Blog
Not much new on Jagr. Jagr's agent, Petr Svoboda, says the Penguins are in the mix. Mario
Lemieux is reportedly trying to contact Jagr personally. I hear the third team involved - besides
Detroit and Pittsburgh - is New Jersey.
I rate the chances of Jagr returning to Pittsburgh as 50-50, maybe less. Detroit has more cap
space, and it would be a signing more typical of the Red Wings.
The anti-Jagr faction points out, rightfully so, that his 1,599 career NHL points don't matter.
He's 39, and that was a long time ago.
But his last three seasons in Russia's KHL weren't so long ago. He averaged 1.04 ppg in the
second-best league in the world. In his last NHL season - with the New York Rangers in 2007-08
- Jagr had 71 points in 82 games. Brandon Dubinsky was his center. Not Sidney Crosby or Evgeni
Malkin.
Who else can the Penguins sign? Cory Stillman? Nikolai Zherdev? Jussi Jokinen? Those guys
might all cost MORE. The Penguins can't afford Michael Ryder. Mike Knuble is almost as old as
Jagr. There's going to be an element of risk with any of those guys, Jagr included. So you have
to consider risk vs. potential reward.
Jagr at $2.5m works for me.
The Pens need wings. Jagr's a solid wing. The Pens need power-play help. Jagr is great on the
PP. There's just no argument against signing Jagr that makes sense. This isn't about sentiment.
It's about THE STANLEY CUP.
Penguins coach intrigued by possibility of adding Jagr
The Canadian Press
6/21/2011 8:05:28 PM
LAS VEGAS -- Dan Bylsma sure sounds like a guy who would welcome the opportunity to insert
Jaromir Jagr into his lineup.
The Pittsburgh Penguins coach admits that he's intrigued by the possibility of the team adding a
player of Jagr's calibre. The 39-year-old is eyeing a potential return to the NHL after spending
three years in Russia and the Penguins are a possible landing place.
"Hypothetically, you're talking about a guy who in his last year in the National Hockey League
had 75 points," Bylsma said Tuesday at an availability for the NHL awards. "That's leading our
team last year. That's an intriguing thing to think about -- a power-play guy, what you saw him
do in the world championship against NHL-calibre players was nothing short of outstanding.
"Those are intriguing things to think about hypothetically and it's tough not to think about
adding 75 points to your roster if that's something you're capable of doing."
Jagr started his NHL career with the Penguins in 1990 and spent 11 years with the franchise,
teaming with Mario Lemieux to help the franchise win back-to-back Stanley Cups. He also
claimed five scoring titles and one Hart Trophy.
His agent, Petr Svoboda, told The Associated Press on Tuesday he's had discussions with
Pittsburgh and Detroit about signing his client to a one-year deal.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has even spoken on the phone with the flashy Czech forward.
At this point, Bylsma hasn't reached out.
"I've talked to Mike, not to Jaromir," he said with a laugh.
Bylsma is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year after helping the Penguins
crack 100 points despite dealing with major injuries to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He'll
be up against Vancouver's Alain Vigneault and Nashville's Barry Trotz on Wednesday night.
"It would be special (to win)," said Bylsma. "Now that I'm here, you're kind of like this is
something I'd like to be able to get. Again, I think it's a big indication of our organization right
from the top on down, right through the players and what they were able to do this year."